Born to Battle: Origins
by Illusion-Factory
Summary: “Take a good look kids. These are the guys we’re stuck with for the foreseeable future. Welcome to the rest of your lives”
1. It's All About Compromises

Disclaimer: Pokémon does not belong to me it belongs to the geniuses at Nintendo.

The inspiration for this chapter is thanks to Belhotte, who asked me why Tess only trained water pokemon. I realized I did not have a very good answer for that question(in some ways I still don't), Tess sorta evolved into a water trainer when her character got solidified. So I pondered it for a while and this was what came out of that pondering. Enjoy!

* * *

The loud blaring alarm cut through Tess's happy dreams of taking on the Pokemon league champion and winning of course. She freed a hand from the confines of her warm blankets and patted around on her side table until she was able to hit the blessed 'off' button. Sitting up sleepily, Tess rubbed a fist in her eye, dark red hair in disarray. Yawning widely, she hopped out of bed going about the difficult business of getting ready to face the big scary world. Tess stopped in the act of pulling on a green t-shirt, her calendar staring her right in the face, today was her tenth birthday. She turned, walked zombie-like back to her bed, got in and pulled the myriad of blankets over her head. Curling on her side she buried her face in the rumpled pillow, squeezing her eyes tightly shut.

For any other child in the Jhoto region, the day of their tenth birthday was a day much anticipated, waited for and celebrated wildly when it arrived. On that most waited for of days, a child of ten could finally register as a pokemon trainer, receive a starter pokemon of their choice and begin their pokemon journey. Tess on the other hand had been informed not even a week ago by both parents that she would NOT be getting registered or be getting her dream starter pokemon: Cyndaquil (with her temperament and its fire power, they would be unstoppable, she was sure of it!) or obviously be allowed to go on her pokemon journey when she turned ten. Not yet anyway. Her parents had informed her that _she_ would have to wait for her _twelfth_ birthday before she could do any and all of the above.

Their reasoning had been that they were uncomfortable with her going out and traveling around on her own. When she pointed out that big brother had gone on _his_ pokemon journey at ten. They said that he had been more mature than her and had gone out traveling with two of his friends besides. She was only a little girl and they were frightened that something might happen to her. Tess had screamed and stamped her foot but her parents had remained strong and now here she was on her tenth birthday: hiding from the world under the cover of her blankets. The sharp sound of knuckles on wood was accompanied by her father's deep voice.

"Tess?!" Tess burrowed deeper under her covers. "Tess, I know you're awake!" Tess's head complete with extremely tousled hair shot up. She squinted angrily at her door and the parent the door was valiantly shielding from her death glare. "If you squint like that so early in the morning honey your eyes will freeze that way." The cheerful tone had her rolling said eyes. She thumped back on the bed, deliberately covering her head with the blankets again.

"Go AWAY dad! I don't want to talk to you!" Her voice was slightly muffled due to the mound of comforters and sheets over her head.

"Oh really?!" Came the amused shout. "Cause I'm holding something that says otherwise!" Tess bit a blanket to keep from screaming with frustration.

"What could you possibly have that would make me open that door?!"

"I dunno! Why don't you open it up and find out?!" Tess growled under her breath, flinging herself out of bed and across the room to slam open the door. Her father stood there, leaning against the door frame. "About time." He groused grinning unabashedly at Tess's furious face as he walked calmly into her room and seated himself carefully on her bed. "Now come over here." He patted the space on the bed next to him, Tess visibly dragged herself back to the bed, plopping down on the space indicated. She glared at him from the corner of her eye. "Now now Tess." He said, putting his arm around her shoulders and dragging her closer to his side.

"I realize that you were looking forward to going on your journey this year and I know you're very upset that we, your mother and I" Here Tess rolled her eyes again, who else would crush her dreams so thoroughly? "Have forbidden you from starting your journey and registering for another two years. BUT! You have to understand where we're coming from." Tess propped her head up with her hand as her dad went through the whole 'we worry about you-it's for your own good-you only have to wait two years-look at the big picture' speech accompanied with grand hand gestures by the hand not trapping her at her father's side.

"Anyway, what I'm trying to say is, we've decided to compromise." Here Tess looked up at her father hopefully. They decided to let her go anyway? "We conferred with your brother Darren and he agreed that it wasn't fair to take away all your dreams for this birthday, so he sent us this." Her father held up the hand that wasn't clasped around her shoulder. Sitting in the palm of his hand was a round shiny red and white pokeball. Tess stared at it confused, before reaching over and picking it up.

"You're giving me an empty pokeball?" She asked as she inspected the pokeball in her hand. Her father frowned.

"Noooo…it has a pokemon in it." Tess looked up excitedly.

"Really?" She scrambled to release the pokemon.

"Wait." Her father's hand clamped down on her wrist, at Tess's confused look he elaborated. "We know you wanted a fire pokemon, but Darren said that this pokemon would be a good first for you."

"Just spit it out dad." Her dad coughed in his fist.

"Right well. Umm, you just might wanna release your new pokemon in the lake." Tess looked down at the pokeball.

"You gave me a water pokemon?" Her father nodded.

"We don't want you getting a fire type just yet. They're a bit too dangerous for our tastes so Darren sent you a nice safe water pokemon. Now, why don't you get dressed, have the birthday breakfast your mother made you and then head down to the lake to meet your new pokemon?" Tess nodded dumbly, still staring at the pokeball clenched in her hands.

-----:D------

Down at the lakeside, Tess rolled the pokeball between her hands. So she had a water pokemon when she had wanted a fire pokemon. Big deal. Just two years and then she could get her hands on a good fire starter. In the meantime though…She pressed the release button. The ball cracked open and a beam of red light shot into the lake shallows. The red light solidified and disappeared.

In its place was a small pokemon. Its body was a clear light blue oval dome with a bright red bulge on either side. In the center of the dome was a smaller red bugle placed right above grumpy looking eyes. Tess leaned closer to the pokemon to study it and jumped back as a brown tentacle came out of the water to poke at her. Well, at least her new pokemon was just as curious about her as she was about it. She leaned back again meeting the slightly irritated pokemon's eyes. Her arm moved, hand out reached finger extended and tentatively poked the pokemon's blue dome. She let out a breath she hadn't been aware she was holding and relaxed.

"Which pokemon are you?" She murmured crouching on the shore, patting its head and giggling as the light brown appendage poked her in her side. The pokemon withdrew the tentacle and deigned to answer the question in the only way it could.

"Tentaaacoool." Tess rocked back on her heels to regard the half submerged pokemon.

"A tentacool huh?" She rubbed her chin. "Random but I can live with it. Though I don't see why Darren didn't just send me a Growlithe or a vulpix or someth-" She was cut off mid-muse when a small wave of water splashed over her, drenching her completely. Tess pushed her dripping wet bangs out of her eyes with one hand, glaring angrily over at the now pretending to innocence Tentacool. She kicked off her shoes and rolled up her overall pant legs to mid-calf, wading out into the water after she was done, a mantic glint in her eye. "Oh you asked for it now."

A few hours later found Tess in the shallows with her pokemon, overall legs drenched despite being now rolled up to her knees, splashing water at the tentacool. Ducking and squealing when the blue pokemon retaliated back with its own splashes. Tess, having fun, was not paying attention to her surroundings, thus when a hand was placed against her back and pushed hard. She was unable to catch herself in time and landed in the water, hard. She sat up, spluttering and floundering angrily.

"So kid, I see you got a pokemon." A condescending voice drawled from the dry bank. Tess looked up brushing her damp locks out of her face. She growled as she climbed to her feet her tentacool allowing her to use a tentacle to steady herself.

"We're the same age!"

"Yeah, but _I'm_ a trainer and _you're_ not. Besides you just have a tentacool and I have the totally awesome Cyndaquil. Fire types are much cooler than lame water types. Everyone knows that only babies have water pokemon." Tess narrowed her eyes at the boy in front of her and the small cream and navy blue pokemon sitting by his foot, her fingernails leaving small crescent marks on her palms. The tentacool blew a froth of bubbles in the lake water in the most threatening manner possible.

"My tentacool is _not_ lame!" The boy was already walking away, Cyndaquil trotting obediently after. He waved a hand at her.

"Yeah yeah. I'd battle you over it but you're not an official trainer. It'd be a waste of my time." Tess only growled, taking two steps toward the shore, fully intending to beat the bastard into the ground. Instead on the second step something wrapped around her ankle causing her to fall face-first in the water. When she came up spluttering and floundering for the second time in as many minutes she found herself staring at her father's shoes.

"So, having fun with the new pokemon?" Tess pulled herself to her feet and nodded jerkily as she untangled the lake grass from her arms. "Well, that's good to hear. Anyway, it's lunch time, so you might wanna put tentacool back in his 'ball and go get changed." Tess nodded again and watched carefully until her dad was out of earshot before whirling around to face her tentacool.

"Okay here's the deal." She hissed. "I'm going to beat that arrogant prick in two years when I become a trainer. And I'm going to beat him using you." She pointed at the tentacool who didn't even seem to blink at the intense stare directed at him. "In fact, I'm going to be the lead water-type trainer around! I'll show _him_ how lame and I'll show everyone how _safe_ water pokemon are! We are going to be an awesome battling team and prove both my parents and that jerk wrong!"

She crouched down, heedless of the water as she looked tentacool right in the eye. "But first we need to give you a cool, dangerous name, I can't go around calling you tentacool all the time." The tentacool waved a tentacle around in the air seeming to agree with her. "How about…Depth charge?" The tentacool's tentacle slapped the surface. "So that's a no then. Okay, Scypho?" Another slap. "Aurelia?" Slap and a glare followed that one. "Okay okay, just kidding on the last one…."

Tess snapped her fingers. "I got it!" She jumped up and pointed down at the blue tentacool. "Man O' War!" No slap and the glare was gone. "Good." Tess said nodding as she returned the tentacool to his ball. "Man O' War it is. You and I are going to go places…and drown them!" She said grinning wildly, holding the pokeball above her head so the sun glinted off the surface. Suddenly a thought occurred to her, she brought the pokeball down to eye level, shaking a finger at it.

"And don't think I didn't realize it was you who tripped me!"

* * *

Author's Notes:

-This story will not be updated on a set schedule like "Born to Battle", it'll be updated whenever I finish a chapter. On weeks when it is updated, I won't be updating "Born to Battle".

-there will be NO who's that pokemon and a battle a chapter is not guaranteed here.

-These stories are based around the beginnings of my characters and how they got their teams, background information if you will.

-Also I changed some things with reference to established characters' background. For example: I've decided that Tess does not meet Connor and Mike until she goes to get her starter. The chapter: "Meet A Trainer Day" will be edited to reflect that.

-Yes, Tess decided to train only water pokemon to prove two/three people wrong. Thus the reason why all her water pokemon are insane battle thirsting pokemon. She's a girl who will do almost ANYTHING to prove someone wrong, even to the extent of shunning other types of pokemon.

-Trivia: The discarded nicknames for tentacool are names for species of jellyfish.

-Any other questions just pm me and I'll do my best to answer!

~Illusion-Factory


	2. Safety First

Disclaimer: Pokémon does not belong to me it belongs to the geniuses at Nintendo.

Short chapter is short.

* * *

"Mike we need to talk about next year." Mike looked up from the book he had been reading mildly surprised. In the backyard he could hear the faint yelling and shouting as his brother played with some friends.

"Yes?" He asked closing the book. His father sat down next to him on the back-porch.

"Next year you and your brother will be eligible to become pokemon trainers. Have you thought of a starter yet?" Mike raised an eyebrow. It was a bit early in the day for such future planning questions. But Mike obediently answered.

"Cyndaquil." His father hmm-ed'

"Any reason why?" Typical of his dad, a retired pokemon trainer, to ask the reasoning behind his choice. Mike was under no illusion he had to have a reason other than 'because it looked cool' thankfully his obsession with reading paid off.

"Challenge. Totodile evolves too easy and Chikorita is too…nice. Even after it's evolved all the way." His father nodded, settling down on the porch step next to him

"I want you to know, that this hasn't been an easy decision for us, your mother and I, to make." His father's voice was low causing Mike to feel slightly apprehensive about whatever he was about to be told. His father took a deep breath before continuing on. "The decision we've reached regards your brother." Mike rolled his eyes, would his dad just cut to the chase already? His dad sighed heavily. "Your brother is…well, let's be honest, he's not entirely _there_." Mike snorted. That was certainly true. In front of them Connor chasing after a friend tripped over his shoelace. He landed hard face first on the ground. After crawling back to his feet unsteadily and setting off again he promptly tripped over the same shoelace. Both of the watchers sighed.

"Your mother and I think that he isn't ready to go out journeying just yet." Mike shot him a disbelieving look. They honestly weren't going to… "We want him to stay here until he's twelve." Mike deflated, Connor wouldn't be happy to say the least. "That doesn't necessarily apply to you. If you want to go then you have our blessing." Mike tapped his fingers against his book's cover.

"But Connor can't."

"No."

"Not even if he stays with me?"

"Mike, Connor can't go. That's final." Mike sighed, that left only one option open to him.

"Then I'll be staying here with him." His father nodded and stood up, clapping Mike on the shoulder as he did.

"Thought you'd say that." Mike re-opened the book. "Connor! Come here for a moment please!" His father called. "I have to talk to you in the house." Mike turned to the page he had been reading, tilting his head in acknowledgment as his twin passed him on the steps. He didn't start reading again until he heard the raised voices coming from inside the house and the slam of a door.

It was true his brother wasn't an entirely responsible or terribly mature kid. Heck just last week Connor got lost on the way home from the school, when Mike had to stay home sick, he was even walking the same route he always had! He probably wouldn't last too long on his own. Even _if_ Connor did wait two years, chances were things wouldn't change that much and he would still be a danger to himself and others. Mike could wait the extra two years to make sure his brother didn't wind up as wild pokemon food, lost in a safari zone somewhere or part of some kind of freak accident. Leave it to his brother to find some un-heard of way to die or get horribly maimed.

So that whole problem of how to keep both himself and Connor alive and in one piece to a ripe old age had just gotten a tad bit easier. But still needed some work, like how to convince Connor that Chikorita and not totodile was the starter for him? Honestly, any pokemon with teeth that sharp would wind up taking a chunk out of him sooner or later. Chikorita was a much safer choice by far. Of course Connor didn't see it that way Chikorita was just not 'manly' enough for him. The giant purple flower Meganium sported might have had a hand in Connor's steadfast decision. Flowers, he had claimed one bright sunny day, were for girls, not boys who were going to be powerful trainers. Mike snorted all this from the guy that still slept with his Pikachu nightlight on and stuffed Teddiursa bear firmly in hand. Chikorita was what his brother could handle, chances were one look at a real Totodile instead of a picture and his brother would be lunging for the Chikorita. And it would probably have been the teeth to set him off Totodile as well.

* * *

Author's Notes:

-Connor and Mike don't have as much 'extra stuff' as Tess does. It's also why I piggy-backed the two chapters together.

-I think sending a ten-year old kid out to traverse around the country with criminal organizations running around and armed with super-powered pets is probably irresponsible parenting. So my OCs' parents are a bit…more strict then other kids' parents. Also Connor's parents and Mike take a very…child-proofing the world approach with Connor. If it has sharp edges he's not allowed near it until he reaches a respectable age.

-Anyone find it a bit ironic that Connor, who's a pretty impatient idiotic kid, develops into a battle style that hinges on him being both patient and smart?


	3. Magical Happy Day

Disclaimer: Pokémon does not belong to me it belongs to the geniuses at Nintendo.

* * *

Tess walked happily next to her big brother, just barely restraining herself from breaking into a run. Actually the only thing stopping her from just taking off like a runaway train (and probably causing as much damage and destruction as one) was her brother's hand clamped tightly over her own. Darren might have been many things, great trainer, good breeder, awesome big brother, but stupid he was not. And so he kept a good hold and even better eye on his little sister lest she get free to wreak the kind of havoc only she seemed capable of.

The reason for this little brother/sister outing was quite easily explained. Just a few weeks ago Tess had turned twelve years old. And while for most children this would not normally be a big deal, for Tess (and her parents) it had been a day she had waited two years for, the first few minutes in sullen anger and for the last two years in stoic determination. For today she would finally be registered as a pokemon trainer and receive her choice of starter pokemon. Professor Elm had graciously allowed her a separate day from the ten year olds to collect her starter, he had mentioned something about two other kids, also twelve year olds, who would be joining her. Tess didn't much care about the other two, so long as she got her dream starter. Cyndaquil was a dream of her past, she had her eye and heart set on Totodile now. Nothing would get in her way! The feisty little reptile pokemon was just what her all-water type team needed.

Tess had spent her two years preparing, reading every book, article and eternally questioning her brother on all things water pokemon: strengths, weaknesses, moves, strategies, the whole shebang. Tess had been, for her at least, patiently studying her two years away and also training her own water pokemon, Man O' War. She was quite proud that now Man O' War could hold his own against pokemon stronger than him, not much stronger than him but by five levels at least. A good solid start she thought.

Darren of course was more than happy to help his sister with her quest to know all things water pokemon. Her parents as well, both for different reasons. Her parents believed that this was Tess calming down, and getting serious about something…they were only half right. Tess was serious, deadly serious but she hadn't calmed down in the slightest. Darren pretty much knew how his sister would react to their parent's reasoning, and was looking forward to her proving them and possibly the whole world wrong. Besides being a type specialist was a lot of work and would hopefully, fingers crossed and toes as well, keep her out of trouble for at least a year. But he knew that was probably a long-shot. Glancing down at his little sister, he shook his head. She was humming happily under her breath and shaking her fist at random Growlithe and Vulpix in neighbor's yards who had the nerve to bark or yap at her. More than a longshot then…probably a lightyear shot.

---^__^---

Connor bounced on his feet, face a mask of happiness, Mike stood next to him, brooding. He and Connor were currently waiting outside of Professor Elm's research building. Mike had been slightly dreading this very day for some time now. Over the last two years he had been trying, hard, to convince Connor that Chikorita and not Totodile was the starter for him. Connor, though in possession of the attention span and focus of goldfish, had proven to be remarkably resilient to any and all of Mike's attempts to divert or change his mind. He wanted a badass starter, not a girly starter, girly pokemon were weak, he didn't want Chikorita, he wanted Totodile and nothing Mike did or said could make him give up on that.

Mike's last hope between him and listening to his brother complain about his starter for the rest of his life was the third kid who had been held back. If the kid wanted Totodile he or she was in for a fight, if Connor wouldn't back down for Mike what were the chances he'd back down for someone he didn't even know? The other kid had a snowball's chance in hell of getting Totodile away from his brother. But you know…there is the rare day when hell freezes over…

And so here they were waiting outside the lab, for the third member to join them.

---^__^---

Tess sneezed and wiped her nose on the back of her long sleeved shirt. The action caused Darren to give her hand a tug.

"Tess. Use a klenex next time." Tess only smiled brightly up her big brother, they both knew that wasn't going to happen. As they completed the last rise to Professor Elm's lab, Tess saw the two figures standing outside waiting for them. She decided to ignore them until circumstances dictated otherwise. "Wait here." Darren commanded, letting go of her hand to walk the extra few steps to the lab door, disappearing inside. Tess shrugged, looking at the two boys she found herself next to. The one next to her looked far too happy for his own good and the one further away looked like he was in the running for Prince of Angst. In short no fun.

Tess was quite content therefore to just ignore the two of them until she could collect her Totodile and leave. But then the happy one just had to ruin her perfect plan and in the worse way possible she might add. He spoke.

"Hey! My name's Connor, what's yours?" The voice was overly friendly and child-like. Tess eyed the bouncing ball of sunshine and candy canes like it was going to explode on her. She was not disappointed. "What starter do you want? I'm going to get Totodile."

---^__^---

Later Mike would wonder when he had blinked. One minute his brother had been talking to the new girl the next he was sitting in the dust staring up at her with wide eyes, surprised, as blood dripped from his nose. And before he could do much more then register this change she had started talking, actually yelling was a more accurate word, at his brother.

"What the hell kid?!" Totodile is MINE, got that?!" And with that Mike was resolved to stay out of this. Connor wasn't one to just take things and he scrambled to his feet.

"Why should you get Totodile?! You're just a girl!" This time Mike saw the girl move, she didn't ball her fist up to punch Connor, instead she just threw herself at him. Catching him in a vicious tackle and then perching upon his chest once he had hit the ground, with his legs and arms immobile and the breath knocked out of him, Connor couldn't really do anything as the girl then preceded to lecture him in a loud angry voice with a single finger jabbing him repeatedly.

"I should get Totodile because I'm stronger. I should get Totodile because I've spent the last two years reading up on all things water-pokemon and I already _have_ a water pokemon. I should get Totodile because I already have several wins under my belt as well." With each reason she jabbed at Connor a little bit harder. "I should get Totodile because you would _never_ be able to handle him, and I know that because you can't even handle _me_." When the girl quit talking momentarily to take a breath, honestly Mike was surprised she hadn't keeled over, a deeper male voice stopped her from continuing.

"Tess, I'm glad you made a new friend but if you don't get off of him neither of you will be able to get your pokemon." That had the girl, now named Tess, jumping to her feet and consequently dragging a dazed and shell-shocked Connor to his feet as well. She smiled brightly at Professor Elm and the older male, who, with the same shade of dark red hair and blue eyes, was probably her brother. Professor elm shot the brother a quizzical look. "Honestly I only left you alone for a minute."

"She always punch her friends Darren?" He asked slightly incredulously. Darren nodded sighing.

"Only the new ones." He said in a very tired voice. Tess didn't seem to notice or if she did she ignored the way the two were talking. Bouncing over to Professor Elm, still smiling she held out a hand.

"Totodile please." She demanded. The Professor looked from her bloody knuckles up to Tess's face and back again before deciding it was best to please the scary child and dropped the appropriate pokeball in her hand. Tess giggled happily bouncing back to her spot, rubbing her cheek against the pokeball in an affectionate nuzzle.

"And who would li-"

"Cyndaquil." Mike cut in quickly, he couldn't risk his brother choosing the fire type either, since it was the only 'manly' one left now. Professor Elm handled being cut off rather well and handed the Cyndaquil's pokeball over to Mike, turning to Connor and dropping the remaining ball in his hand as well.

"And Chikorita for you." Connor stared rather dejectedly at the pokeball in his hand, casting Mike a wounded look that he ignored. Professor Elm continued on, pulling out three pokedexs from one of the large pockets of his lab-jacket and passing them around, informing the children of the function of the pokedex and the other duties it could perform. Finally he shooed them off with a flap of his hand and a 'good luck' when he was done talking, disappearing back into his lab, leaving the three trainers and Darren standing outside.

Darren crossed over to his sister's side, ruffling her hair with one hand he grinned as she growled and tried to swat him away. He tugged the blue and green beanie mother had knitted for the start of _his_ journey off and plopped it on Tess's head.

"Happy late Birthday kiddo, now get out there and show 'em what you can do!" He put his hands on her shoulders. "I'll be rooting for you." Then while she stood ramrod straight with shock he reached up and yanked the too-large hat down over her eyes and nose. That brought Tess out of her stupor, she squawked yanking the beanie back up to rest above her forehead. By that time her brother had vanished and with him any hope of sibling retribution. Tess kicked the ground and stomped off down the road. Ignoring Mike and Connor as she muttered under her breath about how using teleport to get out of a beating was not becoming. Mike grabbed Connor's shoulder and dragged him after the girl. She seemed to know where she was going.

--^__^--

"Why the hell are you _still_ following me?" Mike shrugged, Connor was still staring at the pokeball in his hand and so did not answer. "Well, stooopp!" Mike just walked faster so the three were walking side-by-side.

"Sooo…where you from?"

"Arg! Go away!"

* * *

Author's Notes:

-And so begins a beautiful friendship…oh Mike, you are so awkward.

-Tess has a brother complex.

- And so marks the first of many beat-downs for Connor and not all of them by Tess. In this case Connor totally deserved it. He actually goes through extreme personality changes as he grows up due to being beat-up and lost all the time.


	4. Like Baby Birds

Disclaimer: Pokémon does not belong to me it belongs to the geniuses at Nintendo.

* * *

"No no no. _That_ is not the correct way to hold a pokeball." Tess admonished, hand on hip. She looked with despair at Connor. Shaking her head, she tucked a lock of her hair behind an ear. After finally having accepted that after four consecutive attempts at losing or ditching her two unwanted tag-a-longs neither one was going to leave her alone, Tess had let out her shiny new Totodile for a quick once over. And discovered almost instantly that neither brother knew the slightest thing about pokemon, which included using the equipment, though she suspected the elder brother, Mike, was playing it up so his twin wouldn't feel so bad. This had prompted Tess, the only one who actually knew what she was doing to give them a quick impromptu lesson.

"If you're going to release your pokemon you want the button facing away from you, same if you want to throw the thing at a pokemon." Connor glanced down at the pokeball he was holding and quickly twisted it so the button faced outward. "Okay now press the release button with your thumb."

"Wait don't I like have to say the name of the pokemon I'm releasing or something?" Tess snorted and then after getting a load of both Connor and Mike's _very_ serious faces, burst out laughing. Finally calming herself down she managed to clue both brothers in to a supposedly well-kept pokemon trainer secret.

"You don't _actually_ have to do that. In fact if you haven't given your pokemon a nickname it can be a pretty bad move." Mike furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "Seriously? You guys can't even figure that one out on your own?" At the blank looks she was receiving Tess pinched the bridge of her nose. "I hope actual ten year olds are smarter then you two or I'll have to start agreeing with my parents." She mumbled under her breath too quickly for either brother to catch and then louder: "Because then the opponent has time to release a pokemon stronger than yours and the element of surprise is GONE you DOLTS!" Connor blinked.

"Well, why didn't you just _say_ that?" An eyebrow twitched on Tess's face. She grabbed her own two pokeballs from her belt.

"That's it boys. Time for some hands on experience!" She whipped the two pokeballs out, bright translucent flashes releasing the pokemon inside. Mike tossed his own out, his small Cyndaquil appearing with back-flame alit. Connor after fumbling for a few minutes and nearly dropping his pokeball finally managed to release his tiny green starter.

"Monty Leer!" The tiny blue and red scaled pokemon's eyes turned bright red pinning the Chikorita in its place. Tess had decided to name the spunky little water pokemon 'Monty' as soon as she had see him. Mike was already snapping out commands as well, Connor looked entirely too flustered trying to open his pokedex and check on his pokemon's moves. Tess just shook her head, and he, unknowingly had the advantage…well type advantage not that that mattered too much to Man O' War.

"Cyndaquil tackle!" The Cyndaquil darted toward the Totodile but was caught off-guard by the sudden appearance of Tess's second pokemon in the stream.

"Man O' bubblebeam!" The powerful jet of blue bubbles KO'd the fire type instantly…just as Connor figured out an attack.

"Ooohh, uh here's one! Use razor leaf!" The green pokemon all set to launch into an attack glanced back at him with a look of pure disbelief on its face. Mike looked over at Connor, his KO'd Cyndaquil securely in his arms, sometimes, he worried about his brother, he really, really did.

"Chikorita can't use that attack yet idiot." Now it was Connor's turn to look confused.

"Bwwha? It's a _grass_ type!"

"It's a low level grass type you moron! It doesn't know that attack yet!" Connor scratched his head.

"Well what attacks does it know then?" Tess just sighed, her momentary anger deflating quickly.

"Ya know what? This…this is just too easy." She said. Monty looked back at her slightly confused. "Man O' Acid." Tess ordered sounding very depressed. The blue tentacool shot out a glob of dense purple gunk. It sailed through the air and struck the tiny starter, covering the pokemon completely in the dense goo. "That's game to me." Monty happily jumped and down.

--^__^--

"See, now that everyone's healed and happy again. And now that all the idiots have figured out how to _use_ their pokeballs." Here Tess paused to glare at Connor, who was snickering to himself as he continuously released and re-turned his Chikorita. "Will you STOP THAT?!" Connor startled dropped the pokeball, it bounced and let out his Chikorita. "Good, moving on. You need to give your pokemon nicknames. Makes 'em easier to distinguish from others of the same species and you can do all that fancy shouting when you release them."

"Already on that!" Connor said brightly. "I'm gonna call her Clover." His newly named Chikorita chirruped happily, dancing around Connor's legs. Tess raised an eyebrow and wondered if she should tell him that…no nevermind, he'd figure it out on his own and if he didn't then it was his own damn fault for being too stupid to realize his starter was male. She turned to Mike.

"Ex." He said simply.

"Ex?" Tess really wanted to hear the reasoning behind this one. However it was not Mike who spoke.

"He named him Ex, short for Explosion, 'cause Mikey here-" Connor ruffled Mike's hair and ducked the answering swipe. "Ain't very imaginative."

"You should talk." Mike growled. "You named a grass type Clover. That doesn't take much thought." Tess watched without saying a word as the argument quickly went from snarky comments, to yelling and then to a no holds barred all out wrestling/boxing match. She sat down on a handy boulder, Ex and Clover trotting over to her.

"Take a good look kids." She said hand propping her head up. "These are the guys we're stuck with for the foreseeable future." Mike threw a particular right hook, causing Connor to stumble off of him, but only a few seconds later he had thrown himself back on Mike. "Welcome to the rest of you lives."

"Ow! My nose!"

* * *

Author's Notes:

-Connor bumbles through life. But damn is it fun to watch him do it. Mike just pretends to know what's going on, Tess actually does…most of the time.

-In other news I continue on my trek through things that defy logic in Pokemon, such as shouting out the exact type of pokemon you're using as you release it into battle. A smart trainer clearly waits for the other one to make the first move or cleverly nicknames their pokemon.

-Okay important thing, the next couple of updates might be late, things are getting kinda busy in my life so I don't have as much time to write as I used to. But never fear I'm working on getting a buffer complete.


End file.
